Machu Picchu, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World

Machu Picchu is an icon of the Inca culture. It was built around 1450 for one of the Inca emperors and abandoned a century later during the Spanish Conquest. Hiram Bingham rediscovered it in 1911. The place was so secluded that only local people knew about it. And now it is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

Taking pictures there is not easy. First of all, there are quite a few tourists visiting the site the whole day through. So, taking pictures without tourists is next to impossible. Also, you have to be lucky with the weather. Friends of mine were unlucky: fog and quite a bit of rain. As you can see I was pretty lucky: blue sky and partly cloudy, the same as the first time I was there in 1982.

That is quite a while ago. Indeed, a lot of things have changed. For example, the whole logistics has improved a lot. Also, the site itself is maintained very well. You should go again. However, the tourists are still there!

I first went their in 1973, virtually no tourists, a few travellers. NO hotel at the top of the hill.Second time 1979, walked in from Kilometre 88, 3 day walk, coming into the site through the Sun Gate, spectacular but even in those days the TOURISTS had taken over, hotel at the top of the hill, where they refused us sustenance beacause we were dirty. The day was saved by a fantastic American couple whom bought us food and drinkPlace had really changed, not been back since.

Nice photos! Like all photographers, we would like to be the only ones there. You can do that if you are a President. I saw Obama on the acropolis in Athens and he was the only one there! I wonder how much money Athens lost due to his visit?I think I will run for president after Trump.